L-R: Harry Belafonte, Hayao Miyazaki, Jean-Claude Carriere and Maureen O'Hara Photo: IC

Veteran actor-turned-activist Harry Belafonte received an honorary Oscar for his humanitarian work Saturday, at a star-studded Hollywood gala which also paid tribute to three other cinematic icons.

Belafonte was given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, while Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, French screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere and Irish actress Maureen O'Hara were given honorary awards.

"Artists are the radical voice of civilization," the 87-year-old told the two-hour Governors Awards event in the Dolby Theatre, where the Oscars are held every year.

"I really wish I could be around for the rest of this century, to see what Hollywood does with the rest of the century. Maybe, just maybe, it could be civilization's game changer," he said.

Among those paying tribute to him was British director Steve McQueen, whose 12 Years a Slave won the Best Picture Academy Award earlier this year.

"He basically took those powers of celebrity and fame, and used them for a bigger cause than just his own," McQueen told AFP.

When away from the spotlight, Belafonte spent much of his life campaigning for various causes such as education, famine relief, children, AIDS awareness and civil rights.

The annual event, which last year honored Angelina Jolie as the Jean Hersholt award winner, was attended by A-list stars including Robert Downey Jr, Keira Knightley and Benedict Cumberbatch, among others.